Manager, Contracts & Commercial Governance

Manager, Contracts & Commercial Governance Office Environment Houston, TX – Exempt – Full Time Rotating Machinery Services (RMS) was established in 1998 with the vision to reinvent the concept of an aftermarket turbomachinery business. The goal was to provide turbomachinery operators with unparalleled service based on established relationships, solid engineering, and technical expertise—all backed by responsiveness in competitive prices and lead times. RMS’ commitment to quality penetrates every aspect of the organization and in the guiding force for all decision making. With an equal blend of cutting-edge technology, engineering experience, and the work of skilled crafts people, RMS continuously delivers the best possible results to customers. RMS is a nimble organization with a collaborative culture of individuals who come to work every day with a desire to improve upon their craft and further the rotating machinery industry. THE ROLE The Manager, Contracts & Commercial Governance is responsible for enterprise-wide governance of customer contracts, terms & conditions, and non-disclosure agreements across Rotating Machinery Services (RMS). This role ensures consistent risk management, protects margins, supports deal velocity, and provides a single point of accountability for contractual standards across all business units. This position operates independently of individual business units and serves as the corporate authority on contractual risk, while partnering closely with Sales, Commercial Operations, Finance, and external legal counsel. SKILLS • Contract Negotiation & Redlining – Ability to review, interpret, and negotiate customer contracts, master service agreements (MSAs), NDAs, and commercial terms. • Commercial Risk Assessment – Strong understanding of contractual risk elements including indemnification, limitation of liability, warranties, insurance requirements, liquidated damages, and payment terms. • Commercial Acume n – Ability to balance legal risk mitigation with business objectives, supporting deal velocity while protecting company margins and risk exposure. • Contract Governance & Standardization – Experience developing and maintaining contract templates, fallback language, and enterprise contract standards across multiple business units. • Cross-Functional Collaboration – Ability to work effectively with Sales, Finance, Operations, and executive leadership to support commercial negotiations and contract execution. • Customer Negotiation Support – Confidence supporting or participating in customer negotiations related to contractual terms and risk allocation. • External Counsel Coordination – Experience working with outside legal counsel and managing legal review for complex or non-standard agreements. • C ontract Lifec ycle Management – Understanding of contract review workflows, intake processes, and prioritization systems to support efficient contract turnaround. • Risk Communication – Ability to clearly communicate contractual risks and implications to non-legal stakeholders and recommend practical solutions. • Process Development & Continuous Improvement – Capability to build scalable processes and governance structures that support company growth and acquisitions. • Attention to Detail – High level of accuracy in reviewing contractual language and identifying potential risks or inconsistencies. • Organization & Prioritization – Ability to manage multiple contract reviews simultaneously in a fast-paced commercial environment. Preferred Skills • Experience supporting industrial services, EPC, manufacturing, energy, or turbomachinery industries • Familiarity with WorldCC / IACCM contract management principles • Experience supporting post-acquisition contract integration • Familiarity with contract lifecycle management (CLM) systems PRIMARY ROLE RESPONSIBILITIES Contract & Legal Governance • Own RMS standard contract templates, customer T&Cs, and NDAs • Review, redline, and negotiate customer contracts, MSAs, and NDAs • Maintain approved fallback language and risk playbooks • Identify, assess, and escalate contractual risks per defined thresholds • Ensure consistent contract positions across all business units Commercial Support & Deal Enablement • Partner with Sales and Commercial teams to support timely deal execution • Provide guidance on contractual language during customer negotiations • Balance risk mitigation with commercial practicality and deal velocity • Serve as the primary interface between RMS and external legal counsel External Legal Management • Manage third-party legal spend and engagement • Route non-standard or high-risk terms to external counsel as needed • Ensure knowledge transfer from outside counsel into internal standards Policy, Process & Continuous Improvement • Establish and maintain enterprise contract review processes • Develop intake, prioritization, and SLA models for contract reviews • Support integration of newly acquired companies (e.g., TurboCare) into RMS contractual standards • Maintain contract governance documentation and training materials Cross-Functional Collaboration Work closely with: o Sales & Commercial Operations o Finance & Risk o Business Unit leadership o Procurement and Vendor Management (as needed) This role is not embedded in any individual business unit, responsible for technical scope definition or a substitute for licensed legal counsel. ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES The above list of activities is not all inclusive but a general representation of the requirements of an RMS Inc. Manager, Contracts & Commercial Governance. This list is subject to change based on the needs of the company. SUCCESS METRICS • Reduced contract cycle times • Improved consistency of contract terms across RMS • Controlled and predictable external legal spend • Positive feedback from Sales and Finance on deal support • Scalable processes that support growth and acquisitions REQUIRED EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS • 7–12 years of experience in contracts management, commercial governance, or legal operations • Experience supporting complex industrial services, manufacturing, energy, or EPC environments strongly preferred • Demonstrated experience negotiating customer contracts and MSAs • Strong understanding of commercial risk, liability, indemnification, and warranty structures • Ability to balance risk mitigation with business realities • Comfortable working across decentralized organizations and post-acquisition environments REQUIRED EDUCATION • Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, Engineering, or related field. ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS ● This position will be based full-time in our Houston, TX location. ● Expected travel 0-15%. ● This is an on-site position requiring a minimum of 3 days per week in the office. Flexibility for remote work may be available based on efficiency and coordination with the manager. ● This is a full-time position, with a minimum expectation of 40 hours per week. Additional hours, including evenings or weekends, may be required based on project needs. ● Ability and willingness to lift objects weighing up to 30 lbs., 50 lbs. with assistance. ● While performing the duties of this position the employee will be required to stand, sit, bend and walk for significant portions of the shift ● This position can be required to participate in the company random or customer specific drug and alcohol screening and background check. ● Able to understand, read, write, and speak English. ● Authorized to work in the United States. ● RMS Inc. may have government contracts that impose specific requirements on employees working on those projects. If an employee does not meet these requirements, they may be reassigned to a different location or be ineligible to work on certain assignments. Work Environment While performing the duties of this position, the employee may enter a shop environment and be exposed to moving mechanical parts. While the work area may be described as generally clean, safe, and "not loud", there will be machining operations that generate moderate noise and metal particles.